Voting begins in Madagascar presidential election boycotted by most opposition leaders

ANTANANARIVO, Madagascar (AP) — People in Madagascar trickled to polling stations Thursday as voting opened in a presidential election boycotted by the majority of candidates following weeks of unrest and court battles.

In the capital of Antananarivo, where a night-time curfew ended two hours before voting started, many people said they were heeding calls by a collective of 10 candidates to stay away from voting booths.

Opposition leaders and civil society groups had also called for a postponement of the election.

The situation was calm in the capital despite weeks of unrest, but tension was palpable at some polling stations where some people refused to talk to journalists. At one polling station, people warned each other against making comments after being approached by an Associated Press journalist.

Voters’ choices were limited to three men after 10 candidates announced they were pulling out of the election this week, alleging that conditions for a legitimate and fair vote haven’t been met.

Andry Rajoelina is seeking re-election for a second term and is riding on a record of being the “Builder President” for infrastructure projects that some say have turned into white elephants.

A violent crackdown on protests by security forces ahead of the election has tainted his democratic credentials, while a struggling economy, lack of social services and widespread poverty weigh down his popularity.

“Madagascar needs democratic maturity. The only democratic way to get into power today, and I am fighting for it, is elections,” said Rajoelina after casting his ballot in Ambatobe, a rich district of the capital.

Rajoelina first took power in 2009 and served as president in a transitional government until 2014 after the previous leader, Marc Ravalomanana, was removed in a military-led coup. He made a return in 2018 when he beat Ravalomanana in a runoff. Ravalomanana and another former president, Hery Rajaonarimampianina, are among those boycotting the election.

The 49-year-old former DJ’s biggest challenge comes from a former ally-turned-foe, Siteny Randrianasoloniaiko. Randrianasoloniaiko is a wealthy 51-year-old businessman who is also the deputy for Tuléar city under Rajoelina’s IRD party in the island’s far south. He distanced himself from Rajoelina ahead of the election.

Randrianasoloniaiko raised concerns about the fairness of the election after casting his vote.

“My observer delegates, those from my party, were not allowed to enter the polling stations, whether in Antananarivo, or on the coasts,” he said.

A third candidate is Sendrison Daniela Raderanirina, a relatively unknown 62-year-old who has lived mainly in France to pursue a career in information technology.

Many in Madagascar hoped this election would break with a past of disputed votes, coups and political instability that have characterized the country since it gained independence from France in 1960.

But opposition figures, civil society and many ordinary people believe the election lacks credibility.

Opposition figures boycotting the election say Rajoelina should have been stripped of his Malagasy nationality and disqualified because he obtained French citizenship in 2014. Rajoelina said he took up dual citizenship to secure his children’s education in former colonizer France. The country’s highest court ruled in his favor.

They also allege that the national electoral commission and judiciary lack independence.

Most of Madagascar’s 30 million people live in poverty in a country whose economy is anchored in agriculture and tourism and but is largely dependent on foreign aid.

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